Stan’s “Share-A-Pair” Shoe Drive March 1 - 31 to Help People in Need in Milwaukee and Around the World

GREENFIELD, Wis. -- As the polar vortex’s frigid temperatures continue to hover over Milwaukee, people who are homeless, living in poverty and walking in the snow without proper protective footwear could be in danger. 

Do you have excess shoes in your closet? Would you like to assist Milwaukee’s homeless population and other people in need around the world? You can help by participating in this year’s “Share-A-Pair” shoe drive hosted by Stan’s Fit For Your Feet from Saturday, March 1 - Monday, March 31. People can drop off their new or gently used shoes Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at any of the “Share-A-Pair” collection bins at Stan’s Brookfield store in The Plaza at 17155 W. Bluemound Road, Stan’s Glendale store across from Bay Shore Town Center at 505 W. Silver Spring Drive and Stan’s Greenfield store in the Layton Plaza at 7405 W. Layton Ave. Milwaukee’s New Balance stores, which are owned and operated by Stan’s, will also be collecting shoes during the same business hours. New Balance’s Brookfield store is located at 17155 W. Bluemound Road, Suite A, and its Greenfield location is at 7411 W. Layton Ave.

Anyone donating shoes to the drive will receive a $10 Stan’s Fit For Your Feet gift card to be used towards a footwear purchase throughout March at any Stan’s Fit For Your Feet or New Balance Milwaukee locations.

“Because of this year’s unusually rough winter, we are particularly interested in collecting sturdy boots and shoes that can help protect the feet of Milwaukee’s homeless and needy,” said Jim Sajdak, owner of Stan’s Fit For Your Feet. “However, we will graciously accept new and gently used footwear for all seasons and in all styles and sizes as part of our shoe drive.”

Some of the shoes collected will be personally delivered and fit for many of the area’s homeless who frequent Milwaukee’s Repairers of the Breach homeless day shelter. Father Gene’s Help Center in West Allis will also receive and distribute shoes to people in need in Milwaukee. The remainder of the donated shoes will be given to Soles4Souls, a global not-for-profit organization that distributes shoes to people in need and works with qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities around the world.

Since its inception, Stan’s Fit For Your Feet’s annual “Share-A-Pair” shoe drive has collected more than 165,000 new and gently-used pairs of shoes from Greater Milwaukee residents. For more information on the “Share-A-Pair” shoe drive, visit www.stansfootwear.com or call 262-432-4030. Stan’s is locally-owned and operated. It has been in business since 1950 and specializes in quality footwear from around the world. Its three stores are home to Wisconsin’s largest collection of regular and hard to find shoe sizes. The National Shoe Retailers Association recently named Stan’s Fit For Your Feet and New Balance Milwaukee the 2013 National Footwear Retailer of the Year. Since 2009 Stan's has been named Milwaukee's Best Shoe Store on WISN’s A List.